Another experienced defender fans really expected better of, Phil Babb had just returned from Sporting Lisbon - a team with which he'd just won a league and cup double. He had a far more miserable time on Wearside, enduring relegation in his first season (Howard Wilkinson's disastrous rescue mission after Peter Reid had been given the sack), and suffering playoff semi-final heartbreak the subsequent year. Truth be told, Babb's ability no longer belonged in the Premier League. He was one of the key culprits on an uninspiring team sheet, and part of an 2002/03 squad that only managed to accrue 4 wins and 19 total points. Where Is He Now: Babb's two years with Sunderland were the last of his career; he subsequently retired at the age of 33.
